How to Order Plants Online Without the Drama — and What to Do if Your New Plant Looks a Bit Grumpy
Ordering a houseplant online should feel exciting, not nerve-racking. At Happy Houseplants, we’ve spent years perfecting how to get our plants from our Essex barn to your front door safely, quickly, and beautifully. Whether you're ordering one special plant or building a jungle, we make it simple — and joyful.
Do plants get travel shock? Yes. Should you worry? Not really.
We totally understand the nerves — after all, it’s not every day you post a living thing through the post. But plants are tougher than they look. Especially when you shop with us.
We use breathable, weather-aware packaging, pre-water before packing, and work with DPD’s next-day tracked delivery to make the journey as quick and gentle as possible. Still, just like you after a long journey, your plant might need a quiet moment and a cup of tea (well — light, warmth and water).
Let’s walk you through how to order from Happy Houseplants, what to expect when your parcel arrives, and what we recommend for helping your plant settle in perfectly.
How to Order From Happy Houseplants
Whether you’re a first-time plant parent or a seasoned collector, we’ve designed our site to make shopping easy, fun and inspiring. Here’s how we suggest you get started:
Browse by collection, not chaos
We know the choice can be overwhelming. That’s why we’ve grouped our plants into helpful collections so you can shop by:
We also have curated edits if you're short on time.
2. Add a pot if you fancy
Most of our plants arrive in their nursery pots, so you can pop them straight into one of our stylish plant pots for instant impact. Just choose the option to “add a pot” on the product page, and we’ll do the rest — no guesswork, no wonky fits.
3. Curate your own collection
There’s no pressure to stop at one. In fact, we love seeing how people mix and match to style a room, build a shelfscape, or send a meaningful gift bundle. Everything ships in one parcel, under one flat shipping fee.
Delivery: Fast, Safe and Green(ish)
We ship via DPD’s carbon-neutral next-day service. That means:
-
You’ll get tracking updates from the moment we dispatch
-
Your plant arrives within 24–48 hours (usually the very next day)
-
One flat fee — no matter how much you order
We’ve tested our packaging on everything from delicate ferns to trailing monsteras — and we’re proud to say our plants travel brilliantly. Of course, nature isn’t a robot, and there’s always a tiny chance your plant might arrive looking a little sleepy. But that’s where you come in.
Unboxing Your Plant: What We Recommend
Open it as soon as you can — plants don’t like the dark. That said, don’t panic if there’s a short delay. Our plants are packed carefully and can survive happily in their boxes for several days — often up to a week or more. A day or two won’t cause any harm.
Unwrap your new green friend carefully — we pack with real care, using protective layers to keep foliage safe. Take your time opening it; no one wants to snap a leaf in a rush, no matter how excited you are (and we know the feeling!).
Check the soil — gently press a finger into the compost. If it feels dry below the surface, give your plant a small drink of room-temperature water. In hot weather, we often send plants slightly damp to help with hydration. In winter, they may arrive drier to prevent cold stress. Either way, our double-walled cardboard and breathable wrapping help insulate and protect your plant in all seasons.
Avoid full sun straight away — place your plant in bright, indirect light and let it rest. Once you’ve found the right spot, try not to move it too often. In nature, plants stay put, and frequent moving can unsettle them. Keep it away from radiators, cold draughts or sudden temperature changes — plants really dislike those.
Plants are living things. They respond to light, temperature, airflow, and handling. We do everything we can to make their journey gentle, but if a leaf arrives looking a little tired or you spot a bit of loose soil, it’s perfectly normal. Give it a moment to catch its breath — it’ll be thriving again soon.
What Is Plant Travel Shock (And What Should You Do)?
At Happy Houseplants, we like to think of travel shock as a mild case of "Where am I?". It’s not a sickness — it’s just a plant adjusting to new surroundings after a bit of movement. Some plants breeze through it. Others might need a little TLC.
We suggest:
Don’t repot just yet — we recommend giving your new plant time to settle in its nursery pot, ideally for at least six months. There’s no rush, and moving it too soon can cause more harm than good.
Water carefully — overwatering is a much bigger risk than underwatering at this stage. Always check the soil first.
No fertiliser for now — your plant won’t need feeding while it adjusts. Let it get comfortable and start putting out new growth before introducing plant food.
Keep an eye on it — leaves might change colour or drop as your plant finds its rhythm. This is completely normal.
Please don’t inspect or disturb the roots — it can kill your plant
We understand the urge to check the roots of a new plant, especially if you've read suggestions online to do so. But at Happy Houseplants, we strongly recommend leaving the root system completely undisturbed.
Tipping a plant out of its nursery pot after delivery is one of the most damaging things you can do. The root ball is often fragile, and even gentle handling can cause stress, shock, or lasting harm. In many cases, this is the reason a plant struggles or fails in the first few weeks.
That’s why we don’t offer replacements for plants that have been repotted or had their roots interfered with. All our plants are grown in professional, free-draining compost and carefully checked before dispatch — there’s no benefit to inspecting the roots, and a high risk of causing problems.
Instead, give your plant time to settle. Keeping it in its nursery pot for at least six months gives the roots a stable environment to grow and adapt naturally to your home. If you ever have concerns, our plant care guides are a great place to start, or feel free to get in touch — we’re always here to help.
Ongoing Care: What We Always Recommend
Once your plant has had a little rest, you can carry on as usual. If you’re unsure, the care tips on each of our product pages are a great place to start — and you can always check our blog for deeper advice.
If you want to feed your plant after a few weeks, we suggest our exclusive Organic Tropical Plant Food — it’s 100% vegan, gentle, and formulated by us for tropical houseplants. A small bottle lasts ages.
Leave a comment